//=============================================================================
// Project  : NIPO Component Framework
// File    : IOutputChecker.cs
// Author  : Bernhard Dieber (Bernhard.Dieber@uni-klu.ac.at)
// Copyright 2010 by Bernhard Dieber
// This code is published under the Microsoft Public License (Ms-PL).  A copy
// of the license should be distributed with the code.  It can also be found
// at the project website: http://NIPO.CodePlex.com.   This notice, the
// author's name, and all copyright notices must remain intact in all
// applications, documentation, and source files.
//=============================================================================

using System.Collections.Generic;
using NIPO.Data;

namespace NIPO.Plugins
{
    /// <summary>
    /// This interface must be implemented in order to enable output format verification
    /// </summary>
    public interface IOutputChecker
    {
        /// <summary>
        /// This method must return a set of possible outputs of this plugin. Each output should contain a sample DataTransferObject for a succeeding plugin to check.
        /// </summary>
        ICollection<DataTransferObject> GetSupportedOutput();

        /// <summary>
        /// This method notifies the plugin what type of data it is expected to deliver
        /// </summary>
        /// <remarks>
        /// This method may be called multiple times during the matching stage. 
        /// The plugin should deliver all formats set in all calls.
        /// </remarks>
        /// <param eventName="expectedOutput">A set of sample data transfer objects. The plugin is expected to deliver all of those for each run.</param>
        /// <returns><c>true</c> if the plugin is able to deliver the expected output, <c>false</c> if the format cannot be provided.</returns>
        bool DeliverOutput(NIPO.Data.DataTransferObject expectedOutput);
    }
}